Method and apparatus for distributing liquefied gases



e W, H. D. EDWARDS 2,044,673 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTII IG LIQUEFIED GASES 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed June 30; 1932 W WWWW" T INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 16, 1936 1H. D. EDWARDS V 2 044573 mmon AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUEFIED GASES Filed June so, 1932 s Sheets- Sheet 2 IINVENTOR I BYW O NEYS June 16, 1936. EDWARDS 2,044,673

METHOD' AND APPARATUSFOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUEFIED GASES Filed June so, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WHiuwM II HAX 1 WWW TTORNEY5 Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD m Arum-res FOB ms'ram- UTING LIQUEFIED GASES Barry D. Edwards, Larclinibnt, N. Y.-, assignor. by mesne' assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application June 30, 1932, Serial No. 620,275 Claims. (01.. 62-1) This invention relates to a method and appao manner adapted to converted into gas at a, de-

combinations of elements and arrangement of sired pressure.

More specifically, it is an object to provide suitable stepsand containers adapted both for converting the liquefied gas into a gas material at a pressure desired for use in consuming apparatus and for conveying liquefied gas from producing plant to place of consumption and vice versa.

Another object is to avoid appreciable evaporation losses to the atmosphere by reducing the number of transferrals of the liquefied gas from one container toanother.

Another object is to provide means for quickly and readily dismounting and remounting containers from vehicles or other transport means.

Still another object is to provide means for determining readily the amount of liquefied gas delivered to or consumed at a consumersplace of use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction,

parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure. and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which: I

Fig-1 shows partly in section and partly in elevation a portable container for liquefied gas, which is being filled at the liquefied gas producing plant, together with a-suitable conveyance, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 shows in elevation the portable container, shown in Fig. 1, when it has arrived at the consumers place of use, in position to deposit the gas material, together with a portionoi! the conveyance; r I

Fig. 3 illustrates generally an arrangement for time are also provided, for example, a winch 28 determining by weighing the contents of a container to ascertain the amount of gas material consumed or added;

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of means for removing the container of liquefied gas from a conveyance in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view on a reduced scale showing in full another form of container and conveyance adapted for carrying out the invention. 10

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, l0 denotes generally a portion of-a suitable conveyance, ior example, a motor truck or trailer, for transporting a portable liquefied gas container ii, whose outer envelope or casing together with the. insulation are broken away to show the construction employed. Within the casing is an inner vessel I2 which holds the gas material. Disposed in the top of this vessel is a conduit l3 terminating in a filling coupling it, to which is coupled a conduit it for conveying the liquefied gas from the producing plant into the container. Connected also to the top of the vessel i2, is a conduit it, which is provided with a stop valve iland terminates in a coupling it. A safety relief valve i9 is also preferably disposed in communication with conduit iii to relieve excess pressure that might occur therein. A conduit 20 leading to a gas holder or receiver is connected to coupling I8. A conduit 2i is also provided leading from the lower portion, below the liquid level, of the vessel l2 to the outside and terminating in a valve 22-.and coupling 23.

The container II is provided with suitable means for transferring it from a platform or foundation 24 to the bed of the conveyance i ii and vice versa. Such means may comprise, for example, a frame 25 attached to'the casing of the container having rollers 26.

A bridge piece 21 is shown as disposed between the foundation 24 and the conveyance ill to compensate for variations between the level of the foundation and conveyance. Suitable means for moving the container ii on and oil the conveyand cable 29.

In Fig. 2 the liquefied gas container i I is shown in position on another foundation Ht, which may be that at the consumer's place of use. Here a suitable closure H4 is fitted to the terminus it of the filling conduit. The gas phase withdrawal conduit which terminates with valve ii and coupling l8 and the liquid phase withdrawal con. duit which terminates with valve 22 and coupling 23 are connected to conduits H8 and Ill-23", 5%

respectively, both of which lead to the gas material consuming apparatus.

In Fig. 3 the container l I is shown after it has been moved off the conveyance IIl onto the plat-. form 3!! of a weighing device indicated generally at A.

When it is desired to determine the amount of gas material added to or discharged from the container I I, the complete conveyance and container are here placed on a suitable balance or scale and weighed before and after the addition or discharge of gas material. This is illustrated by Fig. 3, which shows a weighing device mounted on a foundation 3| that may be located at the place of filling or of discharge or at another convenient location. The container has been moved from the conveyance ID by means of the rollers 28 cooperating with the bridge piece 21 and guiding means 32 disposed on the platform 30 of a platform scale A. The weight of the container II and its contents are determined by adjustment of the scale beam and weights 34 of The container may remain,

the platform scale. if desired, on the scale during the filling or discharging processes.

In the modified form of means for dismounting the container from the conveyance H0, illus trated by Fig. 4, the container III is fitted with suitable means 35 for attaching a lifting tackle 36, so that the container may be raised and low-' erteg' by hoisting apparatus, indicated generally a In Fig. 5, the gas material container H2 is shown permanently mounted on a conveyance 3B, which is here shown as of a type commonly known as a trailer. It is fitted with means 9 for attaching power means 2 I II, for example a. motor truck. When it is desired to disengage the motive power means and allow the trailer and container to remain at a destination, the support 40 is moved into and fixed in the proper position to support the end of the trailer that is otherwise supported by the motor truck.

The method of distributing the gas material from the producing plant to the consumer installations, in accordance with the invention, is practiced as follows:

The container II is filled, either directly from theliquefied gas producing apparatus, or from a storage device which may be located at the producing plant or elsewhere. The container, while being filled, may be mounted either on the transport conveyance, or on the foundation 24, as illustrated in Fig. 1, or upon the platform of a weighing device.

During the filling operation, the valve 22 on the liquid withdrawal conduit remains closed, but the valve I I on the gas phase withdrawal conduit is opened to permit the gas being displaced by the liquid entering the container I2 to pass out through conduit 20. Such gas is preferably led to a means for receiving gas, thus avoiding the loss of any gas material.

When the container has received the proper amount of gas material, the valve I5 on the filling conduit I5 is closed and the conduit disconnected from the terminus H, which then is sealed by a suitable closure H4, shown in Fig. 2. The valve I! may then be closed and the conduit 20 uncoupled at I8. The container is now ready to be transported to the place of consumption and, if not already on the conveyance, is placed thereon either by means of the winch and 75 cable, illustrated in Fig. 1, or by hoisting, as

illustrated in Fig. 4. If of the special type illustrated in Fig. 5, then the necessity to transfer to or from a conveyance is avoided.

To avoid loss of gas material during transit, the container may be hermetically closed. This pro 5 cedure is possible because the container is constructed to withstand a. considerable working pressure; the safety valve I9 being adjusted to open after the maximum working pressure is exceeded. The boiling point of the liquefied gas material that is placed in the container is at a temperature corresponding to the boiling point of the gas material when in equilibrium with its vapor at a low pressure, while the boiling point of .the gas material corresponding to equilibrium conditions at the maximum working pressure is at a substantially higher temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to add suilicient heat to the body of liquefied gas material to raise its temperature through the range indicated before the maximum working pressure is exceeded and loss of gas material can occur.

Since the body of liquid in the container is insulated sufilciently to insure against the influx of substantial quantities of heat from external sources, the rate of evaporation in the container is comparatively low and it, therefore, requires a considerable period of time, because of the substantial specific heat of the body of liquid and the inner vessel, for the necessary quantity of heat 30 to have entered the liquid. This period of time will usually be long enough to permit conveyance of the container from the producing plant to the place of consumption without substantial loss of gas material to the atmosphere.

When the container arrives at the place of consumption, it is dismounted from the conveyance and placed in proper position so that the withdrawal conduits H8 and I23, leading to the control apparatus and consuming devices may be coupled to the proper outlets of the container, as illustrated in Fig. 2. If the container is permanently mounted on the conveyance, as for example, on the trailer, shown in'Fig. 5, the container and trailer are placed in position for attaching the withdrawal conduits and are left in position until the container is exhausted of liquefied gas, or until suflicient gas material has been withdrawn. The valves 22 and I! are opened as required for liquid and gas phase withdrawal, respectively.

When sufilcient gas material has been withdrawn, the valves 22 and I! are closed and the conduits I23 and I I8 disconnected. The container is now placed on the conveyance and 50 transported to the producing plant without loss of any of the gas material from the container. Upon arrival at the producing plant, the gas material in the container may be transferred to the gas holding means usually present in such plants to avoid waste.

When it is desired to measure the amount of gas material consumed at the place of use, the determination is very conveniently made by weighing by virtue of the advantages of the present method of distribution. The filled container is placed on a scale as shown in Fig. 3 and the gross weight recorded. After the consumer has used all the gas material he requires, or after its contents have been exhausted, the container is again weighed and its weight subtracted from the original weight to determine the amount of gas material consumed.

It will thus be seen that the present method of distribution eliminates losses of gas material 9,044,073, which would otherwise occur during distribution by the use of liquefied gas containers previously .used and losses that occur during the filling from formerly it was necessary to release it to the atmosphere before the container could be filled from the transport vessel.

It will be seen also that the container, since it is regularly returned to the producing plant tor filling, will be under direct periodic observation of the producing plant personnel and can be maintained and tested as part of a regular routine.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and in the constructions set forth, which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall bev interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of distributing liquefied gas to a consumer's place of use, which comprises charging a portable container of a character transportable separately from transport vehicles, with a 'body of liquefied gas at relatively low pressure.

determining the weight of said charged container before discharging to consumer's apparatus, sealing said container and generating a relatively high pressure therein, discharging liquefled gas from said portable container directly to consumer's apparatus while under said relatively high pressure, redetermining the-weight of said container when the desired discharge has ceased,

and then unsealing and conserving maining in said container. v

2. The method 01 distributing liquefied gas to a consumer's place of use, which comprises charging aportable container of a character transportable separately from transport vehicles, directly from the production plant with a body or liquefied gas, determining the weight of the charged container before discharging to the consumers apparatus, maintaining said container sealed while in transit and while in service, adding heat to liquefied gas obtained from said containerfor accelerating the rate of discharge from said container, discharging liquefied gas directly to consumer's apparatus in response'to the consumer's demand, redetermining the weight of said the gas recontainer when said demand has ceased, and unsealing and conserving the gas remaining in said container at the production plant.

3. The method of distributing liquid 0 gen to a customer's place of use, which comprises harging a portable container of a character transportable separately from transport vehicles, directly from the production plant with a body of liquid oxygen at a relatively low pressure, determining the weight of the container when charged with liquid oxygen before discharging to the consumer's apparatus, sealing said container and generating a relatively high pressure within the container'above the surface of the liquid oxygen, discharging liquid oxygen from said portable container directly to the consumer's apparatus while under said relatively high pressure in response to the consumer's demand, removing said container and again determining its weight when said demand has ceased, and then unsealing said container and conserving the gas returned in said container. Y

4. Apparatus for dispensing liquefied gas which consists of an insulated container adapted to be transported to and from a consumers place of use on a transport vehicle, and capable of being transported separately from the transport vehicle, said container comprising a heavy walled pressure vessel for holding the liquefied gas, a casing including a heat insulating envelope surrounding and supporting said pressure vessel, filling and withdrawal means each having controlling valves'associated with said pressure ves sel and having couplings accessible from the ex-.

terior of said envelope for attachment to and detachment from external connections, and means associated with said envelope independent of said couplings for mounting and demounting said container on a transport vehicle.

5. Apparatus for dispensing liquefied gas which consists of an insulated container adapted to be transported to and from a consumer's place of use on a transport vehicle, and capable or being transported separately irom the transport vehicle, said container comprising a heavy walled pressure vessel for holding the liquefied gas, a 

